Improved process of producing gas for fuel



J. H. BURGIN. PROCESS OF PRODUCING GAS FOR FUEL.

Patented Sept. 17,1867.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. BURGIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO H I M- SELF, GEORGE H. BURGIN, JR, CHARLES F. BURGIN, AND WILLIAM M.

BURGIN, OF THE SAME PLACE.

IMPROVED PROCESS OF PRODUCING GAS FOR FUEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 68,840, dated September 17, 1867.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I. JOHN H. BURGIN, of

y y" of Fig. 1, and partly a side elevation of the furnace. Fig. 3 is a front view of the steam-pipe, stop-cock,and sliding damper, detached, employed for the admission of steam and air below the body of the fuel.

The nature of my process consists in introducing, (along with the atmospheric air necessary for combustion,) in the manner hereinafter mentioned, into any gas-prod ucing oven, steam in quantity sufficient to retard the combustion of the fuel, and at the same time cause the mutual decomposition of the fuel and steam,

.as well as the atmospheric airwithin the oven,

so as to obtain the largest amountlof combustihle' gases practically producible from the fuel employed,- the steam being introduced below the surface of the incandescent fuel, either below the gratebars or other form of ovenbottom, or, preferably, into the body of thein-' candescent fuel above the oven-bottom, in such a manner that the steam shall be diffused throughout the mass of incandescent fuel. The steam and air are admitted in regulated quantities, sufficient air being admitted below the body of the fuel to keep that portion of the fuel which occupies the lower part of the oven in a state of incandescence, and sufficient stearn'being admitted to retard combustion in the upperto wit, the larger-portion of the body of the fuel, so that such portion shall not exceed in temperature a dull cherryred-heat; Whenever the temperature of the upper portion of the fuel rises above this limit iore steam and less air'should be admitted; and whenever the temperature of this portion of the fuel. falls below said limit, more air and less as... should be admitted until the fuel is brought to the condition described.

I will now proceed to describe the oven by which I apply my said process. V

Referring to the drawings, Arepresents the oven-roof and side walls, which are about thirteen inches thick, and are composed oi?- about eight and a half inches of red brick o'utside, and a lining of about four and ahalf inches of fire-brick, thewhole beingsuitably bound with plates and rods, as represented in Fig. 2. i

The parts marked B represent, grate-bars. G is the ash-pit, which is closed below when the furnace is in operation'by doors, one of which, D, is seen in section in Fig.1. E, Figs. 2 and 3, represents an aperture in the furnace wall for the admission of air by an artificial blast, which is produced either by steam .admitted from a boiler through a pipe or nozzle, F, or by an ordinary blower. G G'," Fig. 3, are two slides, together forming. a valve or damper, to close the aperture E. B, Fig. 2, isa pipe, branching-at J, forthe admission of steam into the body of the fuel by means of nozzles I, inserted through apertures K along the front and rear sides of the oven, the apertures and nozzles being about a foot above the gratebars B, and being so arranged that the jets'of steam admitted through them are not opposite but alternate.

The parts marked L represent apertures through which the fire may be observed and poked when: necessary, these aperturesbeing provided with tight-fitting cast-iron stoppers M, as represented. N N are boxes provided with tight covers 0 O on top, and dampers P P. By means of these devices the fuel is fed into the oven without unnecessary waste of the gases. i

Q, is the flue through which the gases pass from the oven to the furnace or place where they are to be consumed. R is a damper or valve in the pipe Q, for the purpose of regulating the flow of the gases. By preventing the too rapid exit of the gases, the damper B, when partially closed, occasionsa back-pressure in the furnace, and thus accelerates thedecomposition of the fuel. i p

' Instead of the dampersP P, balanced'valves,

each with a lever extending outside the boxes,

- may be used orthc place of the covers 0 O and dampers P P of the feed-boxes may be supplied by two sliding valves, one at each end of an upright lever, supported by an intermediate standard, and with or without the application of a spring to keep the lower valve closed except when exterior force is applied to keep it open; and'instead of the sliding valve B to close the exit-flue Q,'an ordinary conical valve, (with proper seat,) operated by. a rod projecting and working with a screwthread through a properaperture (also provided with screw-thread) in theflue-wall, may be employed. p v

The dimensions of the oven are regulated by the quantity of combustible gases required to be produced. An oven which I have used with satisfactory results, being that shown in the drawings, is about, eight feet long, about three and one-half feet wide, and about eight feet high inside.

It is desirable that the oven should be built in av pit or excavation, so that the top of -the oven shall be about level with the surface of the ground. The fuel I employ is anthracite coal,

of the size known as pea. Other sizes,how-

ever, may be used; or bituminous coal or coke may be employedas fuel.

The operation of said oven is as follows, viz:

Goal sufficient to fill the oven to the depth of about two feet, introduced through the feedboxes N 'N', is first thoroughly ignited by the aid of the blast from below the grate-bars, when fresh coal sufficient to make-"the-whole depth about four feet is added. This added coal is allowed to ignite, when steam. is introduced through the nozzles I. in quantity sufiicient to prevent too rapid combustion of the" upper portion of the fuel, the object being to maintain the upper strata of fuel at or about a dull cherry-red heat.

I have found it best to admit the steam along the sides of the oven through the nozzles I, a small quantity being admitted with the atmospheric air below the grate-bars to prevent clinkerin g of the coal; or all the steam employed may be admitted below the ovenbottom, provided it be admitted in sufficient quantity to prevent too active combustion of the fuel. Y

.The latter mode of procedure, however, is

" not productive of as good results as the former,

since it is very desirable to have active combustion of the fuel for about a foot and ahalf above the grate-bars.

Instead of admitting the steam through nozzles I, the branches of the pipe H, along the front and rear sides of the oven, might have each a thin slot, or several such slots, and the steam might be admitted throughcorresponding apertures in the oven side walls in thin sheets, although I consider it preferable to employ the nozzles, as above described,

1 By my process a sufficient quantity of oxygen, as part of the atmospheric air, is introduced to cause the combustion of all the fuel in the oven, which would produce intense heat there and a large amount of carbonic-acid gas were it not for the introduction of the large quantity of steam, which absorbs the excess of heat, and is thereby decomposed into its original elenien ts'of hydrogen and oxygen, the hydrogen passing over either free or in combination with carbon, in the form of carbureted hydrogen, and the oxygen taking up an equivalent of carbon to form carbonic oxide.

The carbonic acid formed in the lower portion of the oven, where the combustion is perfect, isalso mostly converted into carbonic oxide 'by passing through the upper stratavof the fuel, which fuel is kept at a low temperatur by the steam introducedas aforesaid.

The process results in the production of large volumes of carbonic oxide, carbureted hydrogen, and free hydrogen, which are vcoinbustible gases, mixed with the nitrogen from the atmospheric air and a trace of carbonicacid gas, and these gases, in amixed condition,

- ovens-in quantity sufficientto prevent therapid combustion of the fuel, although the fuel is exposed to a full supply of atmospheric air, by

maintainingthelarger to wit, the upper-portion of the fuel ata dull cherry-red heat, while the lower portion is kept in'a state of incandescence, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

-2. Introducing steam into gasproducing ovens above the grate-bars or bottom thereof directly into the body of incandescent fuel in fine jets,'or in a continuous thin sheet, or in several such sheets, in quantity aforesaid, for the purpose aforesaid.

3. Introducing steam into said ovens below the grate-bars or bottom thereof through the a body of incandescent fuel,,in the quantity and for the purpose aforesaid.

4. Introducing. steam into gas-producing ovens above the grate-bars or bottom thereof directly into the body of incandescent fuel, in quantity aforesaid, in combination with an artificial blast of air below the body of fuel.

' 5. I claim the employment of anthracite coal as a fuel in gas-producing ovens, in combina- .tion with an artificial blast of air and with steam, the air and steam being admitted in quantity sufi'icient to maintain the lower portion of the fuel in a state of incandescence,

and the uppe r and larger portion of the fuel at or about a dull cherry-red heat, substan} tially as set forth.

8. The pipe F. or he? device for produing v an artificial blast, in combination with the pipe H and valve It in the exit-flue of a gasproducing oven, substantially as shown anddescribed.

JNO. H. BURGIN.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. BUcKLEY, FRANKLIN SMALL. 

